Education Centers & Outreach

The Center for Educational Development and Research (CEDaR) provides support for the research and scholarship of faculty and graduate students in the College of Education. Its work includes data services, academic editing, survey design and administration, and grant-writing support. In addition, CEDaR regularly sponsors workshops on research related software.

The purpose of the OU Counseling Psychology Clinic is to provide services to individuals, couples, families, and children involving various problems of living. Counseling services are charged on a sliding scale, based on familial income and the number of dependents. In addition to therapy, counselors provide psychological assessment services for children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. Anyone currently living in Oklahoma can come to the clinic for services. University affiliation is not necessary to receive services. For an appointment, call (405)-325-2914.

The Early Childhood Education Institute (ECEI) at OU-Tulsa strives to advance and support early childhood programming and policies through research, evaluation, and outreach. The ECEI focuses on young children, birth through age 8, and the programs and policies that impact these young children and their families.

The EDUCATING WOMEN project was developed to broaden, deepen, and more extensively share specialized knowledge, thought, and ongoing scholarship on women, gender, and education and thus to construct unprecedented opportunities for novice, mid-career, and senior scholars to undertake advanced learning and inquiry in this new field of scholarship that serves the professional development of thoughtful educational leadership, policy, and practice affecting girls and women.

The Hardman Center for Children with Learning Differences was created through a gift from Ruth G. Hardman, a long-time Tulsa resident known for her philanthropy and interest in literacy and education. The Hardman Center has a dual mission of outreach across the state to assist parents, teachers, and schools in helping children with learning differences be more successful in school, and of applied research to close the gap between best and current practices in literacy education.

The Institute of Child Development, which serves approximately 50 children from the Norman and University communities, has been accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs. Working with children from 2–5 years old, the Institute meets a variety of strict standards, including providing activities appropriate for preschool children, having an adequate student-staff ratio, meeting stringent health and safety standards, and providing opportunities for parental involvement. The OU Institute of Child Development was in the first group of licensed child care facilities in the United States to be accredited.

The John W. Renner Science Education Center’s mission is to continue to be at the forefront of science education research while preparing teachers and professionals for lasting scholarly work and personal development in order to improve upon science education.

The K20 Center for Educational and Community Renewal is a consortium of school-university-community partnerships committed to improving student achievement and democratic citizenship through authentic teaching, technology integration, and cooperative networking. The K20 Center proposes a model addressing the needs of children and families through interactive, action-oriented partnerships among schools, families, universities, and community and government agencies.

The Writing Project, directed by Priscilla Griffith, is devoted to improving the quality of composition instruction in elementary and secondary schools. The program, which has professionally prepared more than 500 educators as teacher consultants, is part of the National Writing Project, a network of university school programs across the nation. The OWP Teacher Consultants then travel to schools throughout the state, presenting in-service workshops to assist other educators in developing students’ writing performance.

The Professional Development & Leadership Academy serves all levels of school leadership, from school boards and school and site administrators to teacher leaders, parents and community partners. Featuring series experiences, workshop opportunities and customizable training options, the academy delivers high quality leadership development designed to positively impact student learning.

The Zarrow Center for Learning Enrichment at the University of Oklahoma studies transition, self-determination, and post-secondary education of youth and adults with disabilities and those at risk for school failure. Masters and doctoral students who conduct research at the Zarrow Center learn skills to become future educational leaders. Faculty and students disseminate their work through books, articles, teaching materials, classes, workshops, and professional presentations. An endowment from the Zarrow Family Foundation of Tulsa funds the Zarrow Center activities.